Introduction

One of the holy grails of any PC enthusiast is to have a completely silent rig, or at least, quiet enough so that it doesn't disturb the game we're playing or the movie we're watching. This article is a collection of helpful information that should help those who don't want their conversation drowned out by rumbling hard disks or whirring fans.

It's split into 3 sections, "New Rig" addresses those buying a new PC and what things to look out for. "Existing System" offers helpful, cost effective tips to those looking to quieten down their already built setup. And "Modding" addresses slightly different ways of lowering the noise levels of your PC; but most involve modifying your case to some extent.

At the end of each tip (from existing system and modding), there is a small table that gives information on the difficulty level (skill needed) of the tip, equipment needed, time it takes, overall cost and how effective at reducing noise the technique is. Both difficulty level and effectiveness are marked out of 5, with 5 being the most difficult/effective and 1 being the least. These ratings are based around the other methods, and therefore a 5 effectiveness is better than a 1, but it does not mean it will silence your PC just on it's own.

Warning: A lot of the methods for lowering PC noise levels can increase component temperatures. When performing all techniques, make sure to keep an eye on your systems temperatures and do not allow them to exceed recommended levels.